News

March Rains Cause Problems For Thousands of Farmers

04 April 2013

SPAIN - Widespread heavy rainfall has plagued farmers with many producers unable to access fields and carry out crop work.

Some areas have seen 150 litres of rainfall per square metre, according to the Union of Small Ranchers and Farmers (UPA) and worries are building around the ‘significant’ losses felt after the wettest March since records began in 1947.

Agricultural insurance systems have been hailed as vital following the downpours that left Andalusia, Castilla-Lyon, Extremadura and Aragon particularly hard hit. Beets, corn, cereal and potato growers are the worst affected.

The rainfall has boosted national capacity by 3.8 per cent to 81.7 per cent leaving farmers feeling ‘scared’.

Castilla-Lyon

Most affected crop – Sugar beet – Losses predicted at 50 per cent

Onion and Potato growers warn that April sowing plans will be halted

Root rot and ‘large yellow spots’ have been observed in cereals

Cereal growers are being told to apply fungicides and expect low yields

Andalusia

Excess moisture- fungal crop diseases (leaf spot)

Cordoba, Seville and Jaen are the worst hit with roads, irrigation ponds and outlets all damaged